Tablet-dispensing device

ABSTRACT

A preferred embodiment of a series of tablet dispensers is disclosed having a base containing seven columns of tablet locations and a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in the base and containing on its surface seven series of indicia of time. Each series is axially disposed and includes an indicia for each day of the week arranged sequentially with respect to time. The indicia of each series are spaced so that each indicia is registerable with a column of tablet locations. The seven series of such indicia are arranged circumferentially of the cylindrical member and each series begins with an indicia representing a different day of the week. In using the dispenser, the cylindrical member is rotated until the day on which the first tablet is to be taken registers with the first column of tablet locations. When the indicia representing the appropriate day is registered with the first column of tablet locations, the indicia representing subsequent days register with the other columns of tablet locations.

United States Patent [72] inventor Charles M. Huck Bound Brook, NJ.

[21] Appl. No. 871,994

[22] Filed Sept. 29, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 28, 1971 [73] AssigneeOrtho Pharmaceutical Corporation Original application Mar. 8, 1968, Ser.No. 7 1 1,683. Divided and this application Sept.

29, 1969, Ser. No. 871,994

[54] TABLET-DISPENSING DEVICE 1 Claim, 10 Drawing Figs.

3,324,996 6/1967 Jordt 206/42 3,397,671 8/1968 Hartman..lr. et a1.115/121 3,402,850 9/1968 Barton et a1. 221/8 Primary Examiner- Louis .I.Capozi Atl0rneysNiCh01as A. Gallo, 111 and Alexander T. Kardos ABSTRACT:A preferred embodiment of a series of tablet dispensers is disclosedhaving a base containing seven columns of tablet locations and acylindrical member rotatably mounted in the base and containing on itssurface seven series of indicia of time. Each series is axially disposedand includes an indicia for each day of the week arranged sequentiallywith respect to time. The indicia of each series are spaced so that eachindicia is registerable with a column of tablet locations. The sevenseries of such indicia are arranged circumferentially of the cylindricalmember and each series begins with an indicia representing a differentday ofthe week.

in using the dispenser, the cylindrical member is rotated until the dayon which the first tablet is to be taken registers with the first columnof tablet locations. When the indicia representing the appropriate dayis registered with the first column of tablet locations. the indiciarepresenting subsequent days register with the other columns of tabletlocat1ons.

TABLET-DISPENSING DEVICE This is a division of application Ser. No. 711,683; filed Mar. 8, 1968.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has become the general practice in thetreatment of patients to prescribe that medication be taken inaccordance with a fairly rigid time schedule. This is particularly truein the case of oral contraceptives where the user must strictly adhereto a schedule of use which is determined by the user's individualmenstrual cycle. Failure to adhere to the prescribed schedule of usewill generally result in a failure of the medication to induce thephysiological effect on which contraception is based.

In order to assist users of oral contraceptives in following theprescribed regimen, oral contraceptive tablets are generally packaged indispensers which permit the user to determine immediately on any givenday of the week whether a tablet was in fact taken that day. This ismost often accomplished by associating an empty or occupied tabletposition with indicia representing the particular day of the week.Typical of tablet dispensers of this type are those described in U.S.Pats. Nos. 3,143,207; 3,199,489; 3,277,127; 3,261,455; 3,276,573 and3,283,885. Each of the tablet dispensers described therein achieves to alarge degree its intended purpose, but, due to their complexity, thesedispensers may not be suitable for use by illiterate or nonperceptivewomen.

THE INVENTION IN GENERAL A. lts Broad Concept Now, according to thisinvention there is provided a tablet dispenser comprising a basecontaining an essentially parallel series of columns of tabletlocations, the number of columns of tablet locations being equal to thenumber of medicament doses to be taken in a given conventional calendarcycle of time, be it day or week. One, and only one, indicia of time isvisably associated with, and preferably registered with, each of thecolumns of tablet locations, each indicia representing a point of timewithin the cycle of time at which medication is to be taken and togethermaking up a series of indicia in which the individual indicia arearranged sequentially with respect to time. A plurality of these seriesof indicia, at least one for each given point in time at whichmedication is to be taken and beginning with an indicia representingthat given point in time, are disposed on the surface of a movablemember adjacently in the direction of its movement. An appropriateseries of indicia may thus be visably associated with the columns oftablet locations according to the users particular physiological cycle.

By virtue of this construction the patient can be instructed to positionthe movable member carrying the indicia so that the indicia representingthe first moment in time that medication is to be taken visablyregisters with the first column of tablet locations, that is, the columnlocated at the far left side of the dispenser base. lndicia representingsubsequent moments in time at which medication is to be taken willautomatically register with each of the other columns of tabletlocations. The patient can be instructed to take the first tablet in thefirst column of tablets at the first time of indicated use and tothereafter take the first tablet in each successive column, moving fromleft to right, at the indicated moment in time through the last columnof tablets, at which time a given cycle of time, i.e., one day or oneweek, is completed. The user is instructed to then take the secondtablet in the first column of tablets and to continue the aboveprocedure until the supply of tablets is exhausted. B. The Advantages ofthe Invention The dispenser of this invention eliminates the costassociated with dispensers of the type shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,227,127and 3,261,455 wherein a member with a single series of indicia isactivated by the user after each tablet is taken and thereby moved intoposition to indicate the next tablet and the time of taking it.

The dispenser of this invention also eliminates the main problem,namely, there is no natural "first tablet, associated with tabletdispensers wherein a given indicia of time is permanently associatedwith a given tablet or column of tablets. In the case of circulardispensers with either singular or plural series of fixed indicia, suchas that shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,276,573 and 3,283,885,there is no location along the circumference of the circle which is anatural first tablet" location. Likewise, after the first tablet istaken there is no natural second tablet." The problem is no less seriousin the case of a calendar-type device, an example of which is shown inU.S. Pat. No. 3,099,352, wherein the user, except by pure happenstance,begins to regimen somewhere in the center of the matrix of tablets,works toward the bottom of the calendar, and then completes the regimenat the top of the calendar.

The dispenser of this invention is also superior to the dispenserdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,207, a dispenser apparently designed inan attempt to provide a natural "first tablet. In that dispenser themovable member carrying the indicia of time is bulky and a portion ofthe same must be discarded after the indicia are properly positioned. Inaddition, and most importantly, in that dispenser the number of columnsof tablets must inherently be either greater or lesser than the numberof doses of the medication taken in a natural calendar cycle of time.Thus, for example, in a once a day regimen, Mondays tablet may belocated in the first column of tablets one week but in the second columnof tablets the second week. In the dispensers of this invention thetablet associated with a given point in time is always located in thesame column of tablets.

C. Various Embodiments of the Invention It is envisioned that the tabletlocations of the dispensers of this invention will most often beapertures, slightly larger than the tablets, in the dispenser base andthat the tablets will be contained in a "press out laminate well-knownin the art. The tablets are arranged in the laminate in such a patternas to register with the apertures in the dispenser base. By thusexerting downward pressure on any given tablet, the portion of thelaminate underlying the tablet and overlying the aperture is rupturedand the tablet expelled through the aperture into the hand of thepatient.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the movable membercarrying the indicia is of circular cross section and is rotatablymounted in the base. Where the movable member is a cylinder, each seriesof indicia is suitably printed axially on the surface of the cylinderand the spacing of the individual indicia is such that an indicia isvisably registerable with each column of tablets. The plurality of theseseries of indicia are disposed circumferentially of the cylinder. Thus,by rotating the cylinder, any given dosage time may be visablyregistered with the first column of tablets, the remaining dosage timesproperly registering with the remaining columns of tablets.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the movable member carryingthe indicia is a strip of paper slidable mounted adjacent the top of thecolumns of tablets. lndicia representing each dosage time in the cycleof time are printed sequentially with respect to time on a visiblesurface of the strip at equidistantly spaced locations, the number ofsuch indicia being equal to at least one less than two times the numberof columns of tablets (2Nl Thus, any dosage time may be visablyregistered with the first column of tablets by sliding the strip intoproper position.

THE INVENTION IN DETAIL The invention will be more fully understood fromthe following detailed description of the two embodiments describedbriefly immediately above, read in conjunction with the appendeddrawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of one embodiment of the presentinvention:

F IG. 2 is a view in perspective of the movable indicia carrying memberof the dispenser of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a view of the surface of the movable calendar means of FIG. 2in flat condition;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the dispenser of FIG. I;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view through the base of the dispenser ofFIG. 4 along line 5-5:

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the dispensing of a tablet fromthe dispensers of this invention:

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective of a second embodiment of the dispensersof this invention, and also shows a view in perspective of the movableindicia carrying member;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the top of the base of the dispenser of FIG. 7:

FIG. 9 is a view in cross section of the dispenser of FIG. 7, takenalong line 9--9, when the same is closed;

FIG. 10 is an enlargement of the life side of FIG. 9.

Referring to FIG. I through 6, the tablet dispenser, 1, has a moldedplastic base consisting of a top', 2a, and a bottom, 2b. The bottom, 2b,contains seven parallel columns, 3, of tablet locations in the form ofapertures, 4, with three apertures in each column. The number of columnsof tablet locations is equal to the number of tablets (seven) to betaken in a given conventional calendar cycle of time (one week), thedispenser being designed for use with contraceptive tablets.

At the top of each column, 3, of apertures, 4, is a window, 5, throughwhich is seen an indicia, 6, representing a day of the week, and theseindicia are arranged in chronological order from left to right. As shownin FIG. 3, this series, 7, of indicia is printed on a sheet, 10, whichis wrapped around a cylinder, 8, 05 that each series of indicia aredisposed axially of the cylinder. The cylinder is mounted on an axle,8a, in the base and is rotatable in either direction. The cylinder is sopositioned in the base that each indicia in the series, 7, registerswith a column of tablet locations.

A plurality, namely seven, of those series, 7, of indicia, 6, areprinted in parallel rows on the sheet, 10, so that when the sheet iswound on the cylinder the series will be adjacently disposed around thecircumference of the cylinder. Each series begins with an indiciarepresenting a different day of the week. The cylinder, 8, is providedat one end with a knurled portion, 9, which permits the turning of thesame when it is in place in the base as will be explained more fullyhereinafter.

The base bottom, 2b, is adapted to receive a laminate, 11, only aportion of which is shown in FIG. 1. The laminate is made up of a thin,rupturable metal foil, 13, and a transparent, pliable film, l4,intimately bonded to the foil sheet, 13, forming a series of tabletcompartments, l2, occupied by tablets, 17. Each tablet is arranged sothat when the laminate, 11, is inserted into the base bottom, 2b, eachtablet, l7, lies over an aperture,4.

In using the dispenser illustrated, the indicia carrying cylinder, 8, isrotated until the day of the week on which the menstrual cycle beganappears adjacent the row of tablets under the indicator, 15, FirstPeriod Day. The first tablet is then taken on the day corresponding tothe day of the week represented by the indicia, 16, adjacent the firstrow of tablets. On each successive day, the succeeding tablet from leftto right are taken.

Referring specifically to FIG. 6, to dispense a tablet, l7, pressure isapplied to the plastic film, 14, over the tablet, 17. The foil, 14, isthereby ruptured and the tablet, 17, passes through the aperture, 4.Insofar as the press-out" laminate is concerned, its operation isidentical to other press-out laminates well-known in the art.

In order to prevent the accidental turning of the cylinder, 8, after ithas been set, any convenient friction or ratchet device may be used.Since the pattern of tablet administration should not change from monthto month, another convenient way to prevent the accidental turning ofcylinder, 8, is to make provision for snapping knurled nob, 9, from thecylinder once the pro er setting has been obtained.

eferrmg now to FIGS. 7 through 10, a second embodiment, 100, of theinvention is shown. This dispenser also has a base having a top, 102a,and a bottom, l02b. The bottom, 102b, as in the case of the earlierdescribed embodiment, has a plurality of columns of apertures, 104, anda press-out laminate, ll 1, carrying the tablets at spaced positionsregistering with the apertures.

This embodiment, however, does not utilize a rotatable indicia carryingcylinder to visably associate the appropriate day of the week with eachcolumn of apertures. Rather an endless flexible paperboard strip, 108,is slidably mounted in a run, 105, provided in the top, 102a, of thebase. Indicia, 106, representing each day of the week are printed inchronological order at equidistantly spaced locations on one surface ofthe strip, 108. Enough of these chronologically arranged indicia areprovided that indicia representing any day of the week may be registeredwith the first column of tablets by manually sliding the paperboardstrip in the run. In order to accomplish this and in order for theappropriate indicia to register with the remaining columns, indicianumbering at least one less than twice the number of tablet columns (2Nlmust be provided.

While several specific embodiments of the invention have been described,it should be apparent that many other embodiments of the invention canbe provided which fall within the spirit and scope of the broadinventive concept. Consequently, the invention should not be consideredto be limited to the specific embodiments described and is only limitedby the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A tablet dispenser comprising a base containing an essentiallyparallel series of columns of tablet locations, the number of columnsbeing equal to the number of medicament doses to be taken in a givenconventional calendar cycle of time,

one and only one indicia of time being visibly associated with each ofthe columns of tablet locations, each indicia representing a point oftime within the cycle of time at which medication is to be taken andtogether constituting a series of indicia in which the indicia arearranged sequentially with respect to time, said series of indicia beinglocated on a movable member,

plurality of said series of indicia equal in number to at least thenumber of medicament doses to be taken in said cycle of time beingdisposed on the surface of said movable member adjacently in itsdirection of movement, at least one series ofindicia beginning with theindicia representing each point in time at which medicament is to betaken,

said movable member being a flexible strip slidable mounted in the baseadjacent the top of the columns of tablet locations, indiciarepresenting each dosage time in the cycle of time being printedsequentially with respect to time on a visible surface of said strip atequidistantly spaced locations, the number of such indicia being equalto at lease one less than two times the number of columns of tabletlocations.

1. A tablet dispenser comprising a base containing an essentiallyparallel series of columns of tablet locations, the number of columnsbeing equal to the number of meDicament doses to be taken in a givenconventional calendar cycle of time, one and only one indicia of timebeing visibly associated with each of the columns of tablet locations,each indicia representing a point of time within the cycle of time atwhich medication is to be taken and together constituting a series ofindicia in which the indicia are arranged sequentially with respect totime, said series of indicia being located on a movable member,plurality of said series of indicia equal in number to at least thenumber of medicament doses to be taken in said cycle of time beingdisposed on the surface of said movable member adjacently in itsdirection of movement, at least one series of indicia beginning with theindicia representing each point in time at which medicament is to betaken, said movable member being a flexible strip slidable mounted inthe base adjacent the top of the columns of tablet locations, indiciarepresenting each dosage time in the cycle of time being printedsequentially with respect to time on a visible surface of said strip atequidistantly spaced locations, the number of such indicia being equalto at lease one less than two times the number of columns of tabletlocations.